TankBud

Sultan pleco (L264)

Leporacanthicus joselimai

Also known as L264, Sultan Plec

FreshwaterFish

Sultan pleco (L264) (Leporacanthicus joselimai)
Imperial Tropicals · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
79–86°F
26–30°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
8.7 in
22 cm
Minimum tank
66 gal
250 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Very rare
Family
Loricariidae
Origin
Middle Rio Tapajos near Itaituba in Para, Brazil.

Overview

The sultan pleco (L264) is a medium-large, cave-dwelling carnivore for a tank with fast-flowing water. It is best left to experienced keepers.

Did you know

The sultan pleco's clean gray body and pinhead spotting make it look almost plain next to other L-numbers. That understated look is exactly why collectors prize a well-grown sultan.

Caring for the sultan pleco (L264)

Give a sultan pleco (L264) a tank of at least 66 gal (250 L), with rock or wood caves. It wants brisk current and high oxygen. Keep the water at 79 to 86°F (26 to 30°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5.

Feed a carnivore diet of frozen or live snails, bloodworms, mysis, prawn and chopped mussel. Add sinking carnivore pellets, and do not use vegetables as a staple.

The sultan pleco is solitary and territorial toward similar fish. It is generally civil with unlike tank mates when it has its own cave. Breeding it is hard.

Good to know

The sultan pleco (L264) was described as Leporacanthicus joselimai, in the family Loricariidae. Like other Leporacanthicus, it has enlarged teeth suited to prying invertebrates loose. It is one of the more sought-after plecos in its genus.

In the wild

The sultan pleco (L264) lives in fast-flowing rocky rapids and driftwood snags of the middle Rio Tapajos, near Itaituba in Para, Brazil. It is a carnivore, and its teeth mark it as an invertebrate feeder. It hunts snails and small prey rather than grazing algae.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The sultan pleco (L264) is a mostly peaceful, solitary species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a sultan pleco (L264) need?

A sultan pleco (L264) needs at least 66 gal (250 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a sultan pleco (L264) need?

A sultan pleco (L264) is comfortable at 79–86°F (26–30°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a sultan pleco (L264) eat?

A sultan pleco (L264) is a carnivore. It eats frozen or live snails, bloodworms, mysis, prawn and chopped mussel, with sinking carnivore pellets rather than a vegetable staple.

How big does a sultan pleco (L264) get?

An adult sultan pleco (L264) reaches about 8.7 in (22 cm).

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